The western Chinese region of Xinjiang is home to a large population of Uyghur people, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group which has long had
an uncomfortable and sometimes fractious relationship with the Han-majority Chinese government.
In recent years, the government has detained large numbers of Uyghurs in what former detainees describe as re-education centers with prison-like conditions, aimed at eradicating Uyghur cultural and religious practices and
instilling Communist Party propaganda—a practice described by one as
"cultural genocide."
However, Beijing has repeatedly denied the Uyghur citizens are being held in such large numbers and against their will, calling the camps instead
"vocational education training centers." Speaking at his daily press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said claims of concentration camps in Xinjiang were "simply not true" and claimed the mass camps were set up to "combat terrorism."
"We urge the relevant US individual to respect the fact, abandon bias, exercise prudence in words and deeds, stop interfering in China's domestic affairs and earnestly contribute to mutual trust and cooperation between us," he said.
Beijing has been under increasing pressure in the past six months to shut down its mass camps in Xinjiang. Even Chinese diplomatic partner Turkey labeled the camps a
"great shame for humanity" in February.
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